QB Jaxson Dart Had that 'It' Factor for the Giants

Since being hired by the New York Giants, general manager Joe Schoen has spoken about a process that he and head coach Brian Daboll have in place regarding player evaluation, particularly what Schoen has called “the most important position on a team:” quarterback.

The process leaves no stone unturned, from regular attendance at games to talking to coaches and people around the community who are familiar with the athlete to private workouts and interviews themselves.

And in Jaxson Dart, whom the Giants traded assets to acquire in this year’s recently completed draft, the more the Giants dug into their evaluation process of the Kaysville, Utah native, the more they liked what they saw.

SI.com’s Albert Breer dove into the details that went into the Giants’ evaluation of Dart, including how they used their experience scouting Josh Allen during their time with Buffalo as a benchmark for what they were looking for in their next signal-caller and why they think they’ve found it.

One of Dart’s biggest “X-factor” traits that drew the Giants brass’s interest was how the young signal caller conducted himself in and out of the huddle during games.

“What really stands out about Jaxson is his passion for the game, leadership amongst his teammates, and ability to cross sides of the ball,” Schoen told Breer. 

“Like, he’s not just sitting over with the offense the entire time. You see him interacting with the defense as well. That’s a big part of the live exposure—you have a bad throw, or you have a three-and-out, and you come over to the sideline. Who are you interacting with? Which coaches? Are you talking to your receivers? Are you talking to your line? Are you by yourself? Are you not?

“You get back up, go to the sideline, and watch the defense out there. Those are all things that we’re watching and evaluating.”

In addition to Schoen being impressed with how Dart conducted himself on the field, offensive coordinator Mike Kafka was also impressed. Kafka got to observe Dart up close during the Senior Bowl in an environment that, while structured like any other week of football, was also informal enough for him to observe how Dart conducted himself when he thought no one was looking, which was Dart’s ability to connect with his peers.

Leadership aside, Dart was also impressed by his job interview with Daboll. He came in prepared when Daboll presented an installation that Dart had to learn overnight during his Top 30 visit with the team. 

Breer reported that Dart aced that part of the interview, which earned him yet even more brownie points with his future employers because it showed that he had a grasp on learning and being able to discuss something that might be a little more complex than what he was accustomed to at the college level.  

Then there was the workout itself, which Dart, according to Breer, also “threw the ball well in comparison to his peers.” Dart had his private workout before his pro day, where he impressed. 

With all the boxes having been checked, Dart still didn’t land among the top three players on the team’s board, so the plan was to go with whomever Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter weren’t selected by the Browns, who picked one spot ahead of the Giants. 

From then on, it was a matter of the Giants hoping that Dart would slide down the board and if the Giants could get into a position to take him. 

Texans general manager Nick Caserio, who ultimately held the key for the Giants, recently said a few teams were looking to trade into the Texans' spot at No. 25. The Giants, of course, were one, and the Falcons and Eagles were reportedly among the others.

Fortunately for the Giants, the Texans didn’t insist on the 65th pick, the higher of the two third-round picks held by the Giants. Had that been a non-negotiable condition, the deal for the Giants might never have gone through.

In the end, the Giants' being so high up in the second round–they were third on the clock that day—helped Big Blue land, whom they hope will turn out to be their very own version of Josh Allen one day soon.

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